You know Pete Carrollâs philosophy has taken firm hold when an underachieving wide receiver known more for lazy routes and late-night doughnut runs becomes the Seahawksâ poster boy for big hits.

But thatâs where Golden Tate sits this week after his head-snapping, cleat-lifting block against Dallas linebacker Sean Lee on Sunday.

That hit helped a scrambling Russell Wilson pick up 14 yards and a first down, and it was emblematic of the complete physical domination the Seahawks exhibited against the Cowboys in a 27-7 victory.Â

It also propelled Tate into the annals of Seattleâs best unexpected hits. Not since Steve Largentâs famous retributive strike against Denverâs Mike Harden in 1988 has a Seattle wide receiver drawn such notice for a hit.

Safety Kam Chancellor is the teamâs top hit man these days â" a mantle that once belonged to Largentâs teammate, Kenny Easley â" and Tate told The News Tribune: âNow I see why Kam likes defense. Man, it felt great. That felt better than a touchdown to me.â

There has been plenty of speculation about whether Tate should have been penalized, since his helmet appeared to catch Lee under the chin. It appeared at the time that Tate had been flagged, but the officials instead had called an unnecessary foul against Dallas for hitting Wilson out of bounds (it was barely a shove).

Tate said he was trying to avoid a hit that would get him in trouble.

âWe had a meeting a few weeks ago about whatâs legal and whatâs illegal, so I wanted to make it legal,â he told Paul Silvi of King 5â²s âFifth Quarterâ postgame show. âI didnât want to penalize my team and I didnât want to get fined.â

No penalty, but it remains to be seen whether he gets fined.

The hit was the most explosive play Tate made Sunday in his season debut, but it wasnât necessarily his most effective.

After missing the Week One with a sprained knee, Tate returned to catch three passes for 38 yards. And all were significant.

The first was a 20-yard gain in the second quarter as the Seahawks drove for a field goal. The second was a 10-yard catch on second-and-8 during Seattleâs third-quarter touchdown drive. And the other was an 8-yard gain on third-and-4 during the teamâs fourth-quarter touchdown drive; that catch set up Seattle at the Dallas 3-yard line, and Marshawn Lynch scored on the next play.

Add the block that sprung Wilson, and Tate was key in four first downs.

Itâs the kind of contribution the Seahawks have expected out of Tate since they drafted him in the second round in 2010. He had been a game-breaking receiver at Notre Dame, where he finished as the No. 3 receiver in school history, with 157 catches (for 2,707 yards and 26 touchdowns in 37 games).

He set school records with 93 receptions and 1,496 yards as a senior, tying the record of 15 touchdowns in a season, and he left as the No. 2 player in career all-purpose yards (4,130).

But undisciplined route running kept him on the Seahawksâ bench as a rookie, even though he had displayed a knack for big catches in practice. He finally started to get some time last season after injuries knocked out Mike Williams and Sidney Rice, finishing with 35 catches for 382 yards and three scores. And Tate entered this year as the starter at split end opposite Rice.

Tate was so confident that this was his year to step up that he was not interested in giving up No. 81 to Terrell Owens when the accomplished but mercurial wide receiver arrived in camp.

As Tate said then, âMe and No. 81 have been through a lot. Weâve been through doughnut shops and inactives â" rock bottom â" so Iâm going to be loyal to No. 81. I just feel like I want to play in the No. 81 for the Seahawks for a long time. So I felt like it was more appropriate for me to go on and hold onto it.âÂ

A smart choice, considering Owens lasted a mere two weeks with the team.Â Tate missed the opener himself after suffering the knee injury when the coaches unwisely left him in late in the fourth preseason game to return punts. Â Â But he was ready to go Sunday and, next to Lynch and tight end Anthony McCoy, was the most productive player on offense.Â âI felt like the game has slowed down a whole lot from last yearâ¦because I have more knowledge of our offense and the game. So Iâve grown there and matured,â Tate told Silvi after his debut.Â âFinally this year I put a camp together where they could rely on me to run the right route, to get the right depth, to be disciplined in my routes and blocking and let my athleticism take over after Iâve done all those things,â he said. âThis year I felt like in camp I did a good job with setting it up. I got the trust of the organization, the coaches, the players, the scouts and everyone else, and Iâm just moving from there.âÂ He did nothing in his first game to lose any of that trust, and Carroll even told reporters via Seahawks.com, âYou can see he needs to get the ball more. Heâs on fire. He is so electric with the ball. We just have to find more ways to get him the ball. You get the ball in his hands and something good looks like itâs going to happen.âÂ For more Local Football Bloggers and the latest Seahawks news, seeCBS Sports Seattle.

Chris Cluff worked as a sports editor and writer for The Seattle Times for 11 years and has written two books on the Seattle Seahawks. Since leaving the Times, he has written about the Seahawks and Seattle sports for Bleacher Report and the blog he shares with a fellow sportswriter, outsidethepressbox.com. His work can be found on Examiner.com.

SEATTLE (AP) â" With each inning that rolled by Tuesday night, the Seattle Mariners' odds of winning kept falling.

That's because they were playing the Baltimore Orioles: a team deep in playoff intensity, a team that had beaten the Mariners six straight times, a team that had won 13 straight extra-inning games â" including going 8-0 on the road.

Both of those streaks were extended.

Taylor Teagarden stroked a pinch-hit RBI single to right in the 18th inning to help give the Orioles a 4-2 comeback victory over the Mariners. The Orioles' 14-game extra-inning winning streak is the longest since the 1949 Cleveland Indians won 19 straight.

The win allowed the Orioles (84-64) to pull within a percentage point of the Yankees (83-63) for the lead in the AL East. The Yankees were rained out Tuesday and will play a split double-header with Toronto on Wednesday.

Baltimore maintained a three-game lead in the wild-card race over the Los Angeles Angels, who beat Texas 11-3 in Anaheim.

"It's tough," said Nate McLouth, who had three hits. "When you start going that long, there's a part of you that has to fight the feeling, 'Oh, let's just get this game over with.' Especially in the position we're in. It's a really important game. It's hard to stay locked in that long."

Mariners manager Eric Wedge said to essentially play a continuous double-header "is a challenge. It's a scenario you don't get into too much, but every now and then it happens. It's tough on both sides offensively. Everyone wants it so bad. We had so many opportunities. One more hit and the game's over.

"It wasn't that we weren't creating opportunities. A couple bunts we didn't get down hurt us. But we still had opportunities on top of that, just nobody stepped up offensively."

McLouth opened the 18th with a walk off Lucas Luetge (2-2). With McLouth breaking toward second, J.J. Hardy sent a single through the right-side hole. McLouth continued onto third.

McLouth said it wasn't a hit-and-run.

"I felt like I could get the bag. He had a strike on him so he swung," he said. "It happened to go in a good spot."

Teagarden then lifted his game-winner down the right-field line. Hardy later scored on Mark Reynolds' fielder's choice.

Tommy Hunter (5-8) picked up the victory. And he did it with a little extra measure of "good luck." Just before taking the mound in the 16th, one of the hovering seagulls unloaded on his hat.

"Here I was minding my own business," Hunter said. "Guys were dying laughing. Then everyone said it was good luck. Then we won the game."

Jim Johnson worked the 18th to pick up his 44th save â" most in the majors â" in 47 opportunities.

The Orioles rallied in the ninth off starter Erasmo Ramirez, who had allowed just two hits and was sitting on a 2-0 lead. Pinch-hitter Ryan Flaherty and McLouth opened with singles to bring in closer Tom Wilhelmsen.

Hardy dropped a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Chris Davis followed with a two-run single to right.

"It tried to be aggressive with the hitters in the ninth," Ramirez said, "just tried to get ahead in the count."

Wedge said Ramirez "was fantastic. He threw a great ballgame. You look back to the previous two starts before he got hurt and the last two. That is what you want to see, that is what you love to see."

Wei-Yin Chen went 5 1-3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out two.

It was the longest extra-inning game for the Mariners this season. They are 5-8 in extra innings.

Justin Smoak and Dustin Ackley each had three hits for the Mariners.

It appeared that Chen would breeze through the fourth after the first two batters bounced out to the infield. Casper Wells then drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch. Miguel Olivo followed with his 11th home run on a 1-2 curve from Chen, who had started him with four straight fastballs.

Ramirez retired the first nine batters before McLouth's leadoff single in the fourth, just tipping off the glove of second baseman Ackley. He then retired the next eight straight before McLouth's double to center in the sixth. Center-fielder Franklin Gutierrez caught the ball on a dive but it popped out of his glove on contact with the ground.

Ramirez, recalled from the minors on Sept. 1, matched his career high with eight innings. He allowed four hits and both runs were charged to him. He struck out six and walked no one.

Olivo caught the entire 18 innings.

"This is the first game I catch two games in one," he said.

Wedge said of Olivo, "Miguel is as tough as they come and his drive, his heart and his intensity are second to none. ... you feel for all your guys, but your guy is back there catching 18 innings and fighting through it all."

NOTES: DH Jim Thome (neck) and LHP Troy Patton (ankle) are finishing rehab assignments at the Orioles' Sarasota facility and could rejoin the club this weekend in Boston. "They're both close," manager Buck Showalter said. "We'll make the call (Thursday)." ... RH Miguel Gonzalez and RH Chris Tillman will start in Boston with the third starter to be decided. ... Chen is just the fourth Orioles rookie pitcher since 1954 to make at least 30 starts. He joins Bob Milacki (36 in 1989), Tom Phoebus (33 in 1967) and Brian Matusz (32 in 2010). ... Felix Hernandez was recognized before the game as the Mariners' nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award. "That's a great honor," manager Eric Wedge said. "Felix is the total package. To see what he does off the field, how he carries himself, how generous he is with his time, with people, it's well-deserved." ... RHP Hector Noesi, shelled for six runs and eight hits in 1 1-3 innings Monday, is back in the bullpen for the rest of the season. RH Blake Beavan will fill his spot in the rotation, starting Saturday. ... Michael Saunders was ejected in the 10th inning for disputing a called third strike.

Seattle Mariners' Miguel Olivo rounds the bases after he hit a two-run home run against the Baltimore Orioles in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012, in Seattle.

Ted S. Warren â" AP Photo

SEATTLE â" With each inning that rolled by Tuesday night, the Seattle Mariners' odds of winning kept falling.

That's because they were playing the Baltimore Orioles: a team deep in playoff intensity, a team that had beaten the Mariners six straight times, a team that had won 13 straight extra-inning games - including going 8-0 on the road.

Both of those streaks were extended.

Taylor Teagarden stroked a pinch-hit RBI single to right in the 18th inning to help give the Orioles a 4-2 comeback victory over the Mariners. The Orioles' 14-game extra-inning winning streak is the longest since the 1949 Cleveland Indians won 19 straight.

The win allowed the Orioles (84-64) to pull within a percentage point of the Yankees (83-63) for the lead in the AL East. The Yankees were rained out Tuesday and will play a split double-header with Toronto on Wednesday.

Baltimore maintained a three-game lead in the wild-card race over the Los Angeles Angels, who beat Texas 11-3 in Anaheim.

"It's tough," said Nate McLouth, who had three hits. "When you start going that long, there's a part of you that has to fight the feeling, 'Oh, let's just get this game over with.' Especially in the position we're in. It's a really important game. It's hard to stay locked in that long."

Mariners manager Eric Wedge said to essentially play a continuous double-header "is a challenge. It's a scenario you don't get into too much, but every now and then it happens. It's tough on both sides offensively. Everyone wants it so bad. We had so many opportunities. One more hit and the game's over.

"It wasn't that we weren't creating opportunities. A couple bunts we didn't get down hurt us. But we still had opportunities on top of that, just nobody stepped up offensively."

McLouth opened the 18th with a walk off Lucas Luetge (2-2). With McLouth breaking toward second, J.J. Hardy sent a single through the right-side hole. McLouth continued onto third.

McLouth said it wasn't a hit-and-run.

"I felt like I could get the bag. He had a strike on him so he swung," he said. "It happened to go in a good spot."

Teagarden then lifted his game-winner down the right-field line. Hardy later scored on Mark Reynolds' fielder's choice.

Tommy Hunter (5-8) picked up the victory. And he did it with a little extra measure of "good luck." Just before taking the mound in the 16th, one of the hovering seagulls unloaded on his hat.

"Here I was minding my own business," Hunter said. "Guys were dying laughing. Then everyone said it was good luck. Then we won the game."

Jim Johnson worked the 18th to pick up his 44th save - most in the majors - in 47 opportunities.

The Orioles rallied in the ninth off starter Erasmo Ramirez, who had allowed just two hits and was sitting on a 2-0 lead. Pinch-hitter Ryan Flaherty and McLouth opened with singles to bring in closer Tom Wilhelmsen.

Hardy dropped a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Chris Davis followed with a two-run single to right.

"It tried to be aggressive with the hitters in the ninth," Ramirez said, "just tried to get ahead in the count."

Wedge said Ramirez "was fantastic. He threw a great ballgame. You look back to the previous two starts before he got hurt and the last two. That is what you want to see, that is what you love to see."

Wei-Yin Chen went 5 1-3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out two.

It was the longest extra-inning game for the Mariners this season. They are 5-8 in extra innings.

Justin Smoak and Dustin Ackley each had three hits for the Mariners.

It appeared that Chen would breeze through the fourth after the first two batters bounced out to the infield. Casper Wells then drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch. Miguel Olivo followed with his 11th home run on a 1-2 curve from Chen, who had started him with four straight fastballs.

Ramirez retired the first nine batters before McLouth's leadoff single in the fourth, just tipping off the glove of second baseman Ackley. He then retired the next eight straight before McLouth's double to center in the sixth. Center-fielder Franklin Gutierrez caught the ball on a dive but it popped out of his glove on contact with the ground.

Ramirez, recalled from the minors on Sept. 1, matched his career high with eight innings. He allowed four hits and both runs were charged to him. He struck out six and walked no one.

Olivo caught the entire 18 innings.

"This is the first game I catch two games in one," he said.

Wedge said of Olivo, "Miguel is as tough as they come and his drive, his heart and his intensity are second to none. ... you feel for all your guys, but your guy is back there catching 18 innings and fighting through it all."

NOTES: DH Jim Thome (neck) and LHP Troy Patton (ankle) are finishing rehab assignments at the Orioles' Sarasota facility and could rejoin the club this weekend in Boston. "They're both close," manager Buck Showalter said. "We'll make the call (Thursday)." ... RH Miguel Gonzalez and RH Chris Tillman will start in Boston with the third starter to be decided. ... Chen is just the fourth Orioles rookie pitcher since 1954 to make at least 30 starts. He joins Bob Milacki (36 in 1989), Tom Phoebus (33 in 1967) and Brian Matusz (32 in 2010). ... Felix Hernandez was recognized before the game as the Mariners' nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award. "That's a great honor," manager Eric Wedge said. "Felix is the total package. To see what he does off the field, how he carries himself, how generous he is with his time, with people, it's well-deserved." ... RHP Hector Noesi, shelled for six runs and eight hits in 1 1-3 innings Monday, is back in the bullpen for the rest of the season. RH Blake Beavan will fill his spot in the rotation, starting Saturday. ... Michael Saunders was ejected in the 10th inning for disputing a called third strike.

Like 19 other NFL teams, the Seahawks will look to get their second win on Monday.

Here are the major storylines surrounding the Seattle Seahawks.

Russell Wilson's Progression

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Wilson may be the answer, but he has yet to truly make a dynamic impact on a game.

However, he is 23 years old and gets better each week.

He has to continue becoming accustomed to the speed of the game, but that will come with experience. So far this season, Wilson has amassed 304 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

He is completing 61 percent of his passes, which is a good sign for Seattle who will have to rely on Wilson to protect the ball. Perhaps, other rookie quarterbacks may look better than Wilson at the moment, but his time will come.

He has looked good when under pressure, by being able to use him mobility to elude defenders. His decision-making has been excellent as well, as it is rare to see him attempt to force throws into coverage.

He will have another test this weekend, as the Packers will come to Century Link fresh off a four-interception performance against Jay Cutler and the Bears.

Wilson will be under pressure, and it would be exciting to see him perform against a talented veteran defense.

The Defense Is Still Top Notch

It proved that last Sunday when it held the Cowboys to only 49 yards rushing and only seven points.

The defense is young, fast and will stop at nothing to make plays.

Itâs oddly familiar of Pete Carrollâs USC teams which were stocked with athletic playmakers throughout the roster. With players like Bobby Wagner, Brandon Browner and Kam Chancellor, the Seahawks have the talent to compete in any game.

The defense has been crucial in each game, largely holding down the opposing offenses for minimal gains. Moving forward, the defense will surely be tested by prolific offenses, but the Seahawks are out to prove that their defense can hang with the best in the league.

Look for the Hawks to keep bottling up the run and continue to force teams to pass. They will be tested this weekend as reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers comes to town, but this defense will prove it's for real.

The Offensive Line's Performance

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

There is no portion of the Seahawks that will be more important to their success than the offensive line.

It has been inconsistent, thus far.

There have been injuries, there have been penalties and there have been sacks.

But for every one of those, there has also been a host of Marshawn Lynch runs and good passing protection.

This is a good sign for a group that has not had enough time to together.

However, it's run blocking has been tremendous, and with more snaps as a group, it will continue to mesh as a unit. As long as Lynch can find space and the line can keep Wilson upright, Seattle will be in games.

The line is making headway, but there is still plenty of room for improvement at this point of the year.

I am a die hard Baltimore Orioles fan. This is clear after suffering through the last fourteen losing seasons. This is even more clear since it is almost 4 in the morning east coast time (I am in New Jersey) and I write this post recapping the Orioles 18 inning marathon win over the Seattle Mariners.

After tying the game in the top of the ninth with two runs, the Orioles finally scored two more runs in the top of the 18th inning to take the lead and eventually win behind Jim JohnsonâsÂ major league leading 44th save.

It has been over 14 seasons people! This is part of the reason why I am still awake to follow the Orioles game against the Mariners. Not to pat myself on the back, but I do have to get up in a few hours to go to my 9 to 5 job. I am sure I am not the only east coast Orioles fan who stayed up however. You see the Orioles are playing meaningful September baseball games and Orioles fans know they canât take it for granted.

Staying up to witness the Orioles overtake the MarinersÂ last night/this morning in anÂ 18 inning game makes it even sweeter considering the win put the Orioles back in a first place tie with the New York Yankees atop the AL East.

The Orioles bullpen was nothing short of amazing. Why should that change? The Orioles bullpen has been the one constant all season long. Tonight was just another example of why the Orioles are playing in meaningful September games. The bullpen keeps them in games they would have lost in past seasons. Tonight/this morningÂ the Orioles bullpen gave Buck Showalter 12 2/3 shutout innings! It was beyond impressive.

One member of the bullpen I want to highlight is Jake Arrieta. The Orioles opening day starter is quickly becoming one of the Orioles best relievers. This is the second straight appearance where Arrieta pitched multiple innings and looked dominant. I have a feeling we could be seeing Arrieta pitching late in close games soon. Arrieta pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings with four strikeouts. He was the first pitcher out of the bullpen to relieve Wei-Yin Chen and kept the Mariners at bay.

As I finish writing this post, proud once again to be an Orioles fan, I have to admit something. I started writing this post at the top of the 18th innning before the Orioles came to bat. Iâm no psychic, but I had faith the Orioles would pull through so I began writing this article with victory in mind. As I finish writing and Johnson closes out the game, I can fill in the specifics.

It has been that kind of season for the Orioles and their fans. You just know they will figure out a way to win the game. It took 18 innings, but they won again tonight. Welcome back to the top of the AL East Orioles fans.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Transfer Travell Dixon was officially added to the roster and on the sideline at practice Tuesday wearing No. 31. Dixon played the last two seasons at Eastern Arizona Junior College, where he was considered one of the top junior college cornerbacks in the country. He originally enrolled at Alabama in January, but left there in August because of personal reasons.

He enrolled at Washington prior to the academic quarter and will be eligible in 2013 as a junior.

At 6 foot 1 and 190 pounds, Dixon is now the largest cornerback on the Washington roster. He is a prime candidate to replace senior cornerback Desmond Trufant next season.

Dixon was named a first-team NJCAA All-America as a sophomore in 2011, when he recorded 39 tackles and four interceptions. He also earned ACCAC co-defensive player of the year.

As a freshman in 2010, he was a first-team all-region and all-league selection for Eastern Arizona.

Week two of the NFL season has come to an end and the new power rankings have been released. The Seattle Seahawks took the biggest jump this week after beating the Dallas Cowboys quite easily with a 27-7 victory on Sunday.

After a first week loss to the division rival Arizona Cardinals, the Seahawks started week two at the 26th spot but are now located at 17th with a nine spot jump.

Seattle scored using special teams, the passing game, and the running game to show how they are clicking on all levels on offense. The defense was also able to come up with some turnovers. With the Seahawks getting production from all aspects of their team it is no surprise they would make suck a leap.

Dallas was a team that was ranked much higher than the Seahawks but just could not get their offense going on the road in Seattle.

The Seahawks have a chance to make an even bigger leap next week if they can pull off an upset win over the Green Bay Packers but if they can at least keep the game close, their spot in the power rankings should not change too much.